3 ways nurses can improve patient satisfaction

Nurses need clinical expertise and interpersonal skills to create a positive patient experience, meaning nurses need to refine their patient-provider communication strategies, according to findings compiled by PatientEngagementHIT.com.

Here are three ways nurses can improve patient satisfaction:

1. Integrate effective patient-provider communication tactics. Take a minute to set up a positive rapport with patients, building on common interests to establish trust before transitioning to clinical matters. Fear can keep patients from retaining important clinical information and following care instructions. It is critical for nurses to detect that emotion and allay those fears.

2. Boost nurse teamwork and care coordination. Provide a framework for staff and leadership to share in responsibility, problem solving and authority to give everyone in the unit a voice in the way patients are cared for and how staff are treated. The perception of teamwork and strong care coordination are key indicators of positive patient experiences, according to a Press Ganey analysis.

3. Ensure adequate nurse staff levels. Have enough nurses on staff to cultivate higher patient satisfaction levels and reduce the likelihood of miscommunication. 

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